1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercise and therapeutic devices and more particularly, it relates to the devices for stress relief and developing of muscles associated with hands, fingers, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Persons afflicted with many infirm conditions often lack the considerable hand and finger strength required to perform often basic functions associated with everyday living. For example, weak finger muscles, as well as other physical conditions, may be resulted in the difficulty grasping, manipulating objects and generating a pincer grip by elderly or infirm. For example, people suffering from deteriorating tissue or muscles of the fingers or palm may be unable to grasp and manipulate many basic implements without incurring debilitating pain. These medical conditions may also adversely affect a person's ability to perform rotational and similar functions. This is particularly troublesome to a person whose hands have been disabled by arthritis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and other disabilities. Furthermore, many elderly individuals also have limited hand dexterity further contributing to the difficulty in holding and/or grasping objects. Such limited hand dexterity also leads to reduced ability of such individuals to pick up, manipulate and exert force on various implements and objects.
It is well known that physical exercise can improve the condition of such individuals through the developing of the muscles of fingers and hands, so as to improve the ability to hold, grasp and manipulate the implements and objects and to enhance the pincer grip.
Today, many physical therapy facilities, fitness centers, etc. are provided with exercising machines adapted to improve general physical condition of a human body. Despite the wide range of equipment and programs, exercise devices for development of the hands, fingers and palms have been largely neglected. It is notable that, despite the many expensive exercise devices, it is difficult to find equipment for increasing the strength and flexibility of the hands, fingers, etc. This is especially related to those devices which are light in weight and efficient for use by many individuals including elderly and infirm. This is in spite of the fact that such equipment is important for maintaining the essential living functions by many individuals. Even when available, however, the development and implementation of exercise devices for the hands and fingers has lagged in comparison to other exercise devices.
The hand exercising devices of the prior art generally suffer from one or more drawbacks and limitations that oftentimes render them undesirable or unsuitable for use by elderly or infirm or by others in hand muscle exercises. Generally, these drawbacks and limitations stem from the device structure. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,991 to Sato discloses a finger training device incorporating a relatively complex mechanical structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,460 to Yunk provides a hand exercise device adapted for use by athletes in which a substantial force exerted by four fingers of one hand is required in order to overcome a substantial force generated by the resilient element. In many instances this device is not completely suitable for use in therapeutic purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,949 provides a hand-muscle developing device with music producing means which is clearly complicated, expensive in manufacturing and not always suitable for use by the elderly or infirm. Even more sophisticated devices including the inventors' own hand exercise device disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,637 provide a hand exercise device adaptable for use by athletes or others requiring development of hand or finger strength as a part of physical exercise and not necessarily adapted for use by individuals afflicted by infirm conditions.
Thus, it has been long felt and unsolved need to provide a light, simple and reliable hand exercise device having uniform application and adaptable for use by elderly, infirm as well as by other individuals requiring development of hand and finger muscles and joints.